Should I use RTV

I'm changing the water Pump and thermostat, and maybe the radiator on my other 87, and I'm just wondering if I should use RTV on the thermostat housing and on waterpump gasket. The gasket (MOPAR from the Chrysler dealer) already has a bit of sealer on one side if it, around where it fits into the water pump, and we have some "gasket glue" (thick stuff, look like varnish) and we have a Hanes manual and a Chilton's manual, Chilton's says use RTV, Hanes says don't. I've yet to get a new thermostat and gasket, so I don't know weather it will have sealer on it or not, but I'm just wondering if my Gasket glue and OEM gaskets will work good enough, or if I should go ahead and use RTV.

Indeed use it. No sense in taking a chance to just have to do it over. :lecture:
Brett

Just don't put so much on that is squishes (nice techincal term) out and keeps the thermostat from opening. Been there done that. I was surprised how little it took.

A buddy of mine who is the head jeep tech at the local dealership uses spray rubber cement on the gaskets. It stays in place and he doesn't have any come back. I wonder how hard that stuff could be to get off after a couple of years.

I changed the thermostat and water pump on my 88 XJ 4.0 engine. I installed the gaskets dry, I concluded Chrysler put all the RTV on the gasket that was required.

I am not a fan of applying RTV as a 'belt and suspender's" solution. I have read using RTV on both sides of a gasket can cause problem since the gasket is not toching either the water pump or block.

If you are worried about the gasket staying in place, a problem I did not have with the water pump or thermostat gasket, then use the Indian Head cement. I used it on the FEL PRO valve cover gasket and it worked great, the gasket did not slip as I lowered the valve cover into place. If a gasket needs to have RTV applied to both sides then the gasket designer picked the wrong gasket material. Just install dry like I did, this is provided you have cleaned off the mating surface of all old gasket.

I recommend you use a torque wrench to tighten up water pump bolts. If you don't own a torque wrench then head to Sears since the are having a tool club sale and buy a 3/8 troque werench which goes to 250 IN-Lbs, that just over 20 ft-lbs. Tighten down the bolts using an a pattern and it should hold. I have not have a leak from either the thermostat or water pump and that 2 1/2 years ago.

Well thanks for everyone's advice, but I have a few more questions. The gasket came with a pice of paper that said tighten to 22 lbs-ft. on all pre97s, on 97 and up, you only need to tighten it to 17 lbs-ft. Now my Chrysler gasket only has RTV on the engine side, its not on both sides, and I know how messy it is to work with (I changed the oil in my rear end this summer, and I got RTV inside all the boltholes, what a mess, I had to take the cover off and redo it) so should I RTV the dry side that has none on it, or just do it dry, also should I use my gasket glue? The other question is, has anyone ever had to battle with a stripped thread on the bottom of the water pump, cause the reason we're doing this to my other 87 (which isn't that good, but its going offroaing in may) is to make sure that it lasts the winter (no cracked block), it has a real nice 4.0 in it. It was leaking coolant, and we thought it was the bottom rad hose, but it turns out the bottom bolts were very loose. They weren't the right bolts either, the heads were different, they weren't wide seating ones, and they were really easy to get off, so I'm starting to think who ever put this pump on either forgot/was too lazy to torque the bottom bolts, or I'm up againt a stripped thread.

I have never used RTV on the factory gasket,I did put a couple of dabs on the thermostat to hold it in place while manuvering the housing in place.
If you have the time get the correct metric bolts.IIRC they thread into the water jacket and can corrode,put some sealer on the threads to prevent leaks.
Wayne

Just put my thermo. gasket on with sticky side that came on it to hold it in place....couple of months later still no leaks.....if you have to use RTV on a gasket then why bother using the gasket in the first place, figure the factory knows a lot more about this stuff than I do........good luck with whichever you decide.